wisners camera

Were off to Massachusetts to find a Camera. Our travels through the Vermont Countryside, had been very disappointing for both George, and myself. We had spent the better part of the day, searching for Picker, and when we found him, he disappeared into his office, Everything we’d heard of Picker has been good, George and I had watched his videos on Photography, we’d read his books. We never expected in a million years, that we would be treated in such a way. Its not as if we were there to bother him, we had come to do business, to buy a very expensive Camera. In the car, driving out of Vermont, all we spoke of, was how strange the whole experience had been. He wasn’t the only game in town, or should I say, the only game in New England. There was the Wisner Camera Company, a company that had transitioned, from a company that manufactured pipe organs. No longer being in the mountains, finding a spot to camp through the night, was a little more difficult. We were in Georges car, the “Delta Force”, a car that could go just about anywhere. We were confronted with urban sprawl, as we traveled into Massachuetts, the sun was going down, and if we were to find a spot, we needed to be quick. As we were driving, we spotted an opening through the woods, and turned in. This was only an opening through the woods, not a road, just a spot, where we saw the Force, could squeeze through. I got out in front, clearing branches, and rocks that were in our way, guiding George, about a quarter mile in. We pitched our tents, no mushroom omelets tonite, we were exhausted, ate some nuts, and fruit, zipped up our sleeping bags, and racked out for the evening. As the sun came up, we got up, rare for George, as he was more of a ten o clock type of guy. We did need to get out of there, we knew it was a spot we weren’t supposed to be. Through the night, off in the distance, we heard people, and knew houses were near by. We didn’t want to have to explain to some official, after all, we were on private property. We broke camp, turned around the car, and followed our tracks, back out to the road. It took most of the morning, and into the afternoon, before we arrived at Ron Wisners place of business, the whole way, George and I talking about the day before, how difficult Zone VI was to find, how disappointing it was finding it. It is important to say, a lot of what I read these days about Ron Wisner is bad, things I find hard to believe. Unlike our day before, we were greeted at the door and welcomed. Ron spent hours with us. There was no sales pitch here, he truly seemed glad that we were there. He told us of how the Wisner Camera Company came to be, of his interest in photography, and of his Fathers Pipe Organ Company. He told us of looking around the factory, after his father had passed, not wanting to continue in a business where he had no interest. He saw the same skill set of the workers could be re applied to the manufacture of View Cameras. He had grown up around these craftsmen, who his Father had employed, and seemed to truly care about them. We all had a late lunch together, Ron, George, all the craftsmen, crafts women, and myself. Not only was George buying a camera, we were both getting an education. Ron walked us through his Factory, station to Station, spending time at each, fielding any and all questions. I can not understand how it is, that so many things I’ve read of Ron, are negative. Our experience with him is total opposite, not only is he a gracious man, he is a man generous with his time. We left the factory after a couple of hours, and he took us back to his office. It was clear to him, George was buying one of his cameras, but that didn’t stop him. With us, he spent a couple more hours, talking of all things photographic, about optics, about enlargers, things that only now, do I begin to comprehend. We left the Wisner Camera company, as the sun left the sky. George had told Ron, of our plans to travel through the Southwest, and when this was going to happen. We were about six weeks away, and George was assured his Camera, and all that went with it, would be in his hands, by the time he left to meet me in Taos. Ron did have some difficulty procuring the tripod head for George, and sent him his own personal, so as to not leave George hanging. As we were driving back to Philly, George and I talked of how fortunate we were, with our experience at Zone VI. Had this not happened, we never would of met Ron, and spent such an enlightening afternoon, at the Wisner Camera Company.